Saul “Canelo” Alvarez had a lot of frustrations to get out Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Since his last fight—a controversial split draw with longtime middleweight kingpin Gennady “GGG” Golovkin—a storybook saga had morphed into a nightmare.

First, there were the failed drug tests and a reputation left shattered. Then there were the intimations of cowardice, that he wasn’t “Mexican” enough in style or substance, that he was destined to be remembered more for the bouts he lost than the many he’s won.

For an entire year there was little Canelo could do but take his lumps. Never a media darling, he was even more closed than was customary, seemingly filled with a rage that desperately needed an outlet. But when the bell rang to begin the rematch with Golovkin, it was finally time to hit back.